Many of you may know that, from time to time, I am approached by the editors of the Christian Research Journal and requested to write some feature for them. The first time was shortly after my first appearance on Hank's "Bible Answer Man" program," and the most recent one was in the current issue. All except the latter are posted at the CRI website. They usually ask me to write on eschatological subjects (not my favorite category), though the latest article is a critique of the Catholic view of Revelation 12, and is not about eschatology. If you want to read any of these, they are linked below:

Steve, concerning your article "Who's been left behind?" my position is neither that of the dispensationalist (Christians are taken; non-Christians are left) nor that of the preterist (it all happened in 70 A.D.), but rather I take the reference to be the final stage of the Kingdom of God when Jesus returns. This is expressed in the parable of the wheat and the darnel (Luke 23:33-35)

In verse 30 it is said ‘Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn.’"

I think this is exactly the same time frame as "Then two men will be in the field; one will be taken and one left." (Matthew 24:40)When Jesus comes, the wicked will taken and dealt with. The faithful one will be left to continue to dwell in His Kingdom, then in its final stage.

Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

I'm not really convinced on the whole taken/left thing. When Noah was saved in the ark was he taken or left? Taken into the ark, but left alive? Were the rest "taken" into the flood or "left" for the flood? Were the 5 foolish virgins "left" outside the door, or "taken" outside? When the saints meet the Lord in the air will they be "taken" up to meet him, or "left" in the air? It really doesn't seem altogether clear to me.

I suppose the overtures to eschatological articles are owing to Hanegraaff's personal perestroika regarding preterism. However, I doubt his glasnost would extend to your opinions on Hell, or for that matter, institutionalized Christianity....

Regards, Brenden.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."

I don't know. He seems to have a good heart and spirit, which is surely worth more to God than whatever % of his opinions are correct. A few days or so ago, I heard him say that he was not as opposed to the idea of "losing one's salvation" as he used to be. I was surprised! ... not that his opinion on that matter proves anything one way or the other, except to say that he seems willing to change his mind on things, which is a pretty good sign of humility, I think.

... that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. John 5:23

Dizerner wrote:I'm not really convinced on the whole taken/left thing. When Noah was saved in the ark was he taken or left?

According to Matthew, our Lord clearly stated who was taken, didn't He?

But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. Then two men will be in the field: one will be taken and the other left. (Matt 24:37-40)

Noah and his family entered the ark. When the flood was over, they were left. As for the rest of mankind, "the flood came and took them all away."

Paidion

Man judges a person by his past deeds, and administers penalties for his wrongdoing. God judges a person by his present character, and disciplines him that he may become righteous.

Dizerner wrote:Noah and his family entered the ark. When the flood was over, they were left. As for the rest of mankind, "the flood came and took them all away."

That's what I find confusing, since everyone but Noah was "left" outside the ark, if you look at it that way. Noah was "taken" into a place of safety, a separated environment you could say. The earth is slated for destruction, and that's what makes me think that being "left" would be the negative thing rather than positive. If a flood is coming do you want to be taken away or left to experience it? Although the words can start to seem relativistic, I've always taken it that way. There is another Greek word that seems more naturally used for a negative kind of taking away— ἀπαρθῇ (Mat 9:15 NA28). The word used in Mat. 24, παραλαμβάνεται (Mat 24:40 NA28), means "to take along with," implying that someone is taking another to himself or alongside himself, such as in Mat. 1:20 "take unto thee Mary thy wife." So it would seem the taken might be considered to be taken to the Lord himself.

I wasn't necessarily talking about his spirit. I was merely commenting on the various positions I have heard on the BAM show over the decades. I don't listen much anymore and haven't for a long time. I would suspect that few on the air would agree with Steve's radical view of "church", and his seemingly heterodox view on "hell" (which I share).

Regards, Brenden.

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."

I wasn't necessarily talking about his spirit. I was merely commenting on the various positions I have heard on the BAM show over the decades. I don't listen much anymore and haven't for a long time. I would suspect that few on the air would agree with Steve's radical view of "church", and his seemingly heterodox view on "hell" (which I share).

Regards, Brenden.

I hear you. I listen to him from time to time. I didn't think you were saying anything necessarily negative ... though you did lose me at "glasnost".

... that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. John 5:23